Saturday, April 25, 2015

My Top 10 Fav Books, and Why!

I LOVE reading. I have slow times and then obsessive times but my love of reading never wanes. From year to year I devour books and some stay with me. Some books create such deep connections that you forever remember them. You pull references that no one gets and you laugh to yourself crazily when something reminds you of a story while others look on confused, and at times, afraid. No matter the judgments, a book lover will never be embarrassed of their literary love. In my list I am excluding poems, sonnets, and plays. I am only listing novels and the like. Here are my top 10 favorite books! In no particular order.

This is a book that forces you to see beyond the words. It takes you on a journey that is unexpected and ends with a lot of self reflection. It teaches you to persevere and to look deeper. What do you really want from life? Its a simple yet powerful story.

What can I say about a book that has been spoken so well of and often. It is a story about looking beyond the exterior. Human nature can teach us to be wary and to judge harshly, in this tale a person is more than they seem at first glance. It also shows the deceiving nature of love and how we lie to ourselves when afraid.

I read this many years ago in high school and it has stuck with me ever since. It is one of those powerful novels whose characters transcend time. You think about them and sympathize with them. You want Gatsby to end up with Daisy...every time you read it! The ending kills me even today and leaves me saddened. The use of symbolism in this novel is unparalleled with anything else I have ever read. It will forever be one of my favorites.

This is another look into the human psyche. Human nature will never be shown in more raw and bestial a way than in Wuthering Heights. The violent and toxic love story told throughout the book leaves you thankful for the small simple problems in your own relationships. I know quite a few ladies who hate this book and call the characters unlikable. I completely disagree. You have to look deeper, and beyond the flat persona on the page. These characters are us. We all have this obsessive and egotistical side to us. We just try to deny and hide from it.

I was overtaken by the amazing tale told in this book. The confusion of the main character and his struggles kept me engaged. I needed to know what would happen next. The interactions between Henry and Claire were fascinating and at times emotionally riveting. How do they keep this relationship working? If they can do it with all of these obstacles I can too, I think to myself as I read. It is an extremely interesting and entertaining book. Such a shame how the movie turned out, read the book please!

This is the only children's book on the list. I love this story and made sure to have a copy and read it to my daughter as soon as she was old enough to grasp the lesson. It teaches friendship, loyalty, and love beyond differences. No matter the species, no matter how different you are, friendship can happen. When a book can make you cry when a spider dies it has something special! (sorry for the spoiler but you should know this really...)

This is the second book in the Vampire Chronicle series by Anne Rice. I picked this one because it is by far my favorite. Lestat is the star! He is charisma and brutality combined and this story gives us answers. I was obsessed with this book in my early reading years. I have read it over and over front to back. The way Anne Rice writes creates such vivid imagery that you see everything. You see France and New Orleans. You see and experience what she wants you too. It is an amazing gift.

When you open up this book I am surprised that wind, rain, and lightning doesn't shoot out. It is a carefully written narrative following multiple characters on multiple planes. The first half of the book delves into several story lines and then finishes each one off in the second half. If you try to put this down and pick it back up months later you will be extremely confused and lost. This is a book you must sit and read through within one to two weeks in order to digest it. If you put in the time you will be rewarded with superior story telling. My advice also is to be prepared to look up several words in the first couple of chapters. Yay for expanding your vocabulary! Once again read the book, the movie couldn't possibly ever compare.

What a book. It is a challenge due to its size but it is easy to read because of its wording. The characters have life and depth. I found myself terrified and enthralled at times. It has history, love, betrayal, and strength woven into the story making it extremely emotional. I had several cry moments and the ending is amazing. I recommend reading this more than any other book on my list.

Is it really surprising to see this book on the list? For anyone who has not read this book, shame on you. It is extremely well known by now. A dystopian future of divided nations and an overly powerful capital over seeing all. It is a book that will last throughout the years. With a heroine as relatable as Katniss how can we not get involved emotionally in the story. The horrors of sacrificing your young to a cruel and terrorizing system is outlandish and horrendous to all who read about it. It makes us root for these children, and cry for those who fall. This book is more than the movie, it needs to be read.

There we have it. I have read over 200 books over the years but these are my top 10! I will keep reading and perhaps my list will change as time goes by. For now, I greatly recommend these and hope that I have introduced some of you to a new favorite for yourselves as well. Keep reading...